The posting trot is one of the first skills taught to beginner riders in English equestrian disciplines, yet it remains relevant at every level of horsemanship. Also known as the rising trot in British riding, it involves the rider alternately rising from and returning to the saddle in time with the horse’s diagonal leg pairs. Done well, it creates an efficient, comfortable partnership between horse and rider. Done poorly, it is tiring for both parties and does little for communication or balance.
What Happens During the Posting Trot
The trot is a two-beat gait in which the horse moves its legs in diagonal pairs: left foreleg and right hindleg together, then right foreleg and left hindleg together, with a moment of suspension between each beat. The posting trot works with this rhythm. As one diagonal pair pushes off the ground, the rider allows the upward thrust to lift them slightly out of the saddle. As the opposite pair comes to the ground, the rider softly returns to the seat.
In practice, the rider does not so much “stand up” as allow the horse’s motion to carry them upward and then follow the horse back down. The most common fault is actively heaving the body upward with the thigh muscles, which creates a bouncy, disconnected motion that tires the rider quickly and jars the horse’s back. The correct feel is of being lightly lifted rather than climbing.
Diagonals Explained
In an arena, riding on the correct diagonal is a fundamental competence. On the right rein (circling clockwise), the rider should sit as the horse’s right foreleg comes back — meaning they rise as the left foreleg moves forward. On the left rein, the reverse applies. This ensures the rider is posting with the outside diagonal, which helps the horse balance through turns and maintains even muscular development on both sides.
To check which diagonal you are on without looking down, feel whether you rise as the horse’s outside shoulder moves forward. If you are on the wrong diagonal, the correction is simple: sit for two beats instead of one, then continue posting. Beginner riders often find this confusing, but with practice it becomes instinctive. Instructors will typically say “sit a beat and change.” The British Horse Society covers correct diagonals in detail in its Stage 1 riding examination syllabus.
Benefits for Horse and Rider
Posting trot reduces the concussive impact on the rider’s seat during sustained trot work, making it considerably more comfortable than sitting trot for both the rider and the horse’s back. For horses in early training or those with sensitive backs, posting trot is standard practice and is often preferred over sitting trot until the horse has developed sufficient topline strength to carry a rider’s weight at trot without hollowing.
For the rider, posting trot develops independent lower leg position, balance, and an understanding of the horse’s rhythm. It also reinforces the habit of following the horse’s motion rather than working against it — a principle that underpins all good riding. Transitions between posting trot and sitting trot are commonly used as a training exercise to improve core stability and feel. See our entry on side reins for equipment that supports correct frame development during trot work.
Posting Trot in Different Disciplines
In dressage, posting trot is commonly used during warm-up but not in the test itself, where sitting trot and working trot are assessed. In show jumping and eventing, riders use posting trot extensively during warm-up and hacking, switching to sitting trot or two-point position as required. Hunters and hack classes in British showing will expect competent posting trot as a demonstration of basic riding ability.
In Western riding, the equivalent gait is the jog, and riders typically sit to it rather than post, though the principle of working with the horse’s rhythm rather than against it remains the same. Riders transitioning between English and Western styles often find the switch in trot technique one of the more significant adjustments to make. For cross-discipline context, see our entry on reining, which illustrates the differences in ridden style between English and Western disciplines.
Common Faults and How to Fix Them
Rising too high is the most common error. The rider should barely leave the saddle — a two or three centimetre rise is sufficient. Gripping with the knee, which pivots the lower leg backward, is another frequent fault and removes the security that comes from a long, draping leg position. Riders who struggle with posting trot often benefit from lunge lessons without stirrups, which develop balance and allow them to find the horse’s rhythm passively before reintroducing the posting action.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between posting trot and rising trot?
They are the same thing. “Rising trot” is the standard British term used by the British Horse Society and most UK riding instructors and examination bodies. “Posting trot” is more commonly used in North American equestrian contexts. Both describe the technique of alternately rising from and sitting to the saddle in rhythm with the horse’s trot.
How do I know if I am on the correct diagonal?
On a circle or in a school, you should rise as the horse’s outside foreleg moves forward. You can check by glancing briefly at the outside shoulder — if it rises as you do, you are correct. With time, most riders develop the ability to feel which diagonal they are on through the horse’s movement without needing to look.
Should beginners learn posting trot or sitting trot first?
Posting trot is almost universally taught first, because it allows beginners to absorb the horse’s movement without being bounced uncomfortably in the saddle. Sitting trot requires greater core stability, balance, and an ability to follow the horse’s back through the gait — skills that develop naturally over time. Most riders return to sitting trot once they have a solid independent seat established through posting trot work.